Women entrepreneurship is one of the most important aspects of entrepreneurship. Women entrepreneurs are making strides with their ventures in the entire world and Kashmir is no exception. Time and again they have proved their calibre and business acumen. Gone are the days when start-ups, enterprises and trading were associated with men, now women are coming forward and creating, leading and successfully running businesses of their own. They are generating employment and adding value to the society by the dint of their hard work. A recent study in India showed that the measures to close the gender gap could lead to a 6.8 percent gain in GDP. However the score of India in the index of women entrepreneurs is dismal which stands at 52nd rank out of 57 surveyed countries. Kashmir is a disturbed territory marred by conflict. It is a society where self expression and power are usually associated with men; it’s hard for a woman to emerge as a change maker especially in the domain of business.
Here is a list of few women entrepreneurs who chose their dreams and set an example for others to follow.
Rifat Masoodi: a mother of two, Rifat, popularly known as “batwoman” is the only woman bat maker in the territory. Initially, she faced some hurdles but then she overcame her fears and continued her business. Today, she receives bulk orders from Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. Her story is that of motivation and dedication backed by the support of her family. One reason she wants the youth of Kashmir to pick up bats is to prevent them from falling victim to drugs.
Nusrat Jahan: is one of the most successful women entrepreneurs in the valley with her chain of flower stores, ‘Ferns n Petals”. When she started her business in 2000, it received a luke warm response, but as the trend of fresh flowers was promoted, the business bloomed too. Initially she had to order these flowers from outside then she cultivated flowers in the backyard of her house and is earning good profits. Wedding and events industry is in vogue these days where people are ready to invest in high quality and well designed arrangements. She left her promising job decades ago to start a business and today she is a role model for others providing employment opportunities to people.
Mymoona Nazir: lifestyle changes are slowly picking up the momentum in Kashmir valley, in lieu of this, an exclusive gym for ladies was opened by Mymoona Nazir. She had to improve her financial conditions and took this challenging task of opening a gym. The results are good and she plans to expand the space by introducing new equipments and trainers.
Mehwish Zargar: this lawyer turned businesswoman is the owner of a cafe in Srinagar. Her story is inspiring many to break the taboo and start investing in their dreams. The journey was not easy, she lost her father at a tender age and this explains her determination and dedication. The cafe instantly gained a reputation for the ambience and food it serves. She continues to inspire young women of Kashmir to be job creators rather than job seekers.

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